Exemplary embodiments relate generally to network communications, and more particularly, to methods, systems, and computer program products for providing electronic transactions.
Currently, there has been an explosion of demand for a wide variety of communications devices, including both wireline and wireless. Due to advances in technology, as well as the convenience of portability, wireless communications devices (e.g., cellular telephones and personal digital assistants) are becoming increasingly popular. Likewise, wireline communications devices, such as personal desktop computers and interactive programming devices (e.g., Internet Protocol-enabled television (IPTV)) are also extremely popular. As the costs of these devices continue to decrease over time, it is not uncommon for an individual to own multiple communications devices, each of which may provide unique (and sometimes overlapping) media-related services for the owner. A unique service may include downloading a ring tone to a cellular telephone, whereas an overlapping service may include downloading a movie to a personal computer, IPTV, or even a cellular telephone. As with individuals, it is also becoming commonplace for households to have multiple communications devices (e.g., personal desktop and computers, cellular, PSTN, and Internet telephones, personal digital assistants, and IPTV devices).
Managing these communications devices, including the media-related services provided for these devices, can be a daunting task. For example, a media transaction, such as downloading a ring tone to one cellular telephone may be a simple task, but downloading the same ring tone for a family of cellular telephones requires a separate download process for each device. In addition, an owner of multiple devices, who is currently active on one of the devices, may be able to conduct a media-related transaction for that active device, but not for others of the communications devices.
What is needed, therefore, is a way to conduct and manage media-related transactions for selected communications devices.